India posted a strong fall of 17 percent on the year in its total cut and polished diamond (CPD) exports in July to $858.2 million, according to interim data published by India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJPEC.) In carat terms, the decline was even more noticeable, falling 26 % to three million carats. Since the begin of the year, India’s polished diamond exports have fallen 14 % to $6.4 billion while rising 5 % in volume to 30.7 million carats. Indian imports of cut and polished last month plummeted 62 % to $131.5 million.

Meanwhile, rough diamond imports dropped 18 % in July to $754.3 million, and in weight terms fell 14 % to 14.5 million carats. For the January-July period, India ’s rough diamond imports fell 16 % to $4.6 billion, and recorded an even larger fall of 20 % in volume to 92.2 million carats. Indian exports of rough goods edged down 3% to $34.8 million, but in volume terms plummeted 28 percent to 3.9 million carats.